Dark Chocolate Granola with Cacao Nibs
This nutrient-dense remix of my Maple Syrup and Olive Oil Granola is for chocolate lovers. Before baking, I coat the oats and almonds with a natural cacao powder for maximum antioxidant power. A slurry of pure maple syrup and extra virgin olive oil adds a nice balance of sweet and savory, along with healthy fats and polyphenols.
Cinnamon and cardamom bring out the fruit-forward qualities of the cacao, and possess impressive anti-inflammatory properties as well.
Once the granola is done baking and is cool, I add a dusting of grated 70% dark chocolate and a handful of cacao nibs — crushed pieces of cacao beans that have been fermented and roasted. This all adds up to a slightly salty, not-too-sweet granola with layers of chocolate flavor in each cluster.
Dark chocolate and brain health
You probably already know that chocolate possesses brain-healthy compounds. Here’s a few:
• Theobromine. A close relative of caffeine, theobromine can be mildly stimulating, just like a cup of coffee. That’s one reason why eating good quality chocolate has been shown to enhance focus and concentration.
Theobromine also acts to dilate blood vessels, lowering blood pressure and improving blood flow to the brain. Perhaps that’s why doctors in the 17th century gave heart attack patients hot chocolate to drink as a medicine!
• Flavonoids. The flavanoid family of phytonutrients has long been studied for its potential to protect memory, learning, and cognitive function. With its anti-inflammatory properties, flavanols may have an important role in suppressing neuroinflammation and protecting brain cells from injury induced by neurotoxins. Some researchers postulate that flavonoid-rich foods, such as berries and cocoa, are important tools for preventing the neurodegeneration seen in Alzheimer’s and other dementias.
• Polyphenols. Dark chocolate has twice as many polyphenol compounds, known to be anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, as even green tea or red wine.
• Minerals. Selenium, magnesium, and manganese are all important for brain health. In general, the darker the chocolate, the more minerals it contains.
Cacao vs. cocoa. Which is better?
Raw cacao beans — the seeds of the berry of a cacao plant — are the form of chocolate with the most phytonutrients. But raw cacao is too bitter to eat, so it is processed into various more palatable chocolate permutations. The more the cacao beans are processed, the more they are stripped of their nutrients. In general the term “cacao” refers to a less processed, more natural form of chocolate. Unfortunately, cacao has become a marketing term that may have nothing to do with nutrient density.
After the beans are fermented and roasted, they can be crushed into little bits — the cocoa nibs in our granola, a very nutrient-dense form of chocolate. The nibs are then ground into a non-alcoholic liquor, half of which is fat — the cocoa butter. This is pressed to remove all the fat, leaving cocoa powder.
If this process is done without applying high heat then the cocoa powder will retain more of its nutrients. But if a high-heat method, such as Dutch-process or Dutching, is used, then the cocoa will be mostly stripped of its antioxidant and neuroprotective powers.
Why cooking methods matter with chocolate
Combining chocolate with an acidic leavener, such as baking soda, in the presence of heat inactivates some of the beneficial brain-healthy flavanols. The chocolate in cookies, cakes, and brownies does lose some antioxidant potency after spending time in the oven. That’s why I love incorporating chocolate into treats that don’t rely on a leavening agent.
Dark chocolate and blueberries: two of the foods highest in polyphenols.
Baking the granola at a temperature of 350ºF means it is hot enough to become crispy and golden, but not so hot that it inactivates the phytonutrients.
Dark Chocolate Granola is a treat, albeit a nutrient-dense one
This Dark Chocolate Granola with Cacao Nibs is nutrient- and energy-dense; a small portion goes a long way to satisfy chocolate cravings. I advise keeping portions to about ¼ cup sprinkled on berries and yogurt, or enjoyed as a snack after exercise.
| Prep Time | 10 minutes |
| Cook Time | 45 minutes |
| Servings |
cups
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- 5 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup sliced almonds
- 2 tablespoons natural cacao powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp coarse salt
- 1 ounce dark chocolate 70% cacao content or greater
- ½ cup cacao nibs
- Maldon sea salt to taste, optional
Ingredients
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- Preheat oven to 350ºF and place the rack in the center of the oven. Line a rimmed (18 x 13-inch) baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon mat.
- In a large bowl, combine oats, sliced almonds, cacao powder, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt.
- In a large (4-cup) measuring cup, combine maple syrup, olive oil, almond extract, and vanilla extract using a fork or a whisk.
- Pour olive oil mixture over the oats and stir to combine. Using a rubber spatula, spread evenly over the baking sheet.
- Bake for 20 minutes. Rotate baking sheet front to back. Bake another 20 minutes. Pull the pan from the oven and carefully inspect the granola. If it is golden brown throughout and darker brown on the edges, it is done. If not, return to the oven and check it again in 3 minutes. Keep checking until the granola is golden brown but not burning at the edges.
- Remove from the oven and cool in the pan. Transfer to a large bowl. When the granola is no longer warm, grate the dark chocolate over the bowl using the large holes of a box grater. Stir to evenly distribute the chocolate shards.
- Add the cacao nibs and stir again.
- Taste the granola. You may want to add a little more salt to balance the chocolate and bring out its flavor. I like to add a sprinkle of flaky Maldon sea salt. If not, scoop the granola in to an airtight container (I like to use tall Mason jars) and store in a cool place away from sunlight.
- Enjoy in small portions (less than ¼ cup) as a snack, or sprinkled on berries and yogurt.
Look for natural cocoa or cacao powder, not a Dutched or "Dutch-process" brand.
Cacao nibs vary tremendously in price and quality. Look for a natural brand from a store with high turnover; stale nibs can be very dry and crunchy. (I source my cacao powder and nibs from Thrive Market, an organic online grocery store.)
Dark chocolate with more than 70% cacao will have more polyphenols, minerals, and flavonoids.
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